Page 30 of Stolen Oath
I must’ve put a bit too much dramatics in my tone because in all the chaos Char snorted a laugh. She must’ve thought that I was being sassy, which wasn’t necessarily untrue, but it was more than that. My secret was out one way or another. We could get away with it but we would have to kill most of Angela’s pack and none of us, including myself, were going to do that.
Taking the blame and placing all the attention and a neon warning sign on me was the smartest thing to do.
The truth of Dimitri’s bloodline would ruin his entire empire which his family had built for decades. It would be a great way to pay his father back for starting all this but I don’t think the son deserved it. Plus, hopefully this meant he would look after Char and have her back if she ever needs it.
All train of thought screeched to a halt when Dimitri shifted back to his human form. Despite the situation my eyes scanned him from the top of his head to his toes and back. A vivid image of him standing next to me while we spoke to Zin came to mind but I brushed it away. This was neither the time nor place for interpreting dreams.
“Capture the witch.” The old alpha sounded like a broken record. Also, it was hilarious that he was sending others to touch me but he stayed as far away from me as possible, “We will place her in the wine cellar and notify MPO to come and collect her.”
“I will bring her to the cellar.” Dimitri stabbed a leg in the sweats someone handed him. “They can check the parameter in case more of the vampires and hyenas are left roaming around.”
A collective sigh could be heard as the members of the pack scurried left and right to do as Dimitri said. Not that it appeased the old man. I could tell he was gearing up for an argument as I decided to get down from the branch. On my own, thank you very much.
“We need to detain her and all of those creatures will be released from whatever spell she had them under.” Angela’s father snarled, staring daggers at me as I slipped and slid down the tree. “She must’ve used them so she could lure us here.”
“For what reason would she lure us here father?” Angela spoke for the first time. She sounded tired.
“I don’t want to find out.” His hand sliced the air in agitation.
“So she spelled them to attack her and her friend, and they both almost died, just to bring us in the woods.” Angela was like a dog with a bone, pun intended. “She could’ve just asked us to follow her if that was her intention.”
“Don’t be absurd, Angela, I would never follow a young woman to the woods.” He looked at his daughter like she grew a second head.
“I would’ve.” She told him simply. “If she wanted to kill me she had plenty of opportunities to do so. Her and her friend risked their lives to lure the spelled creatures away from the house so no one would get hurt.”
“That’s what she wants you to think.” The old man grumbled but watched me differently through narrowed his gaze. “We need to hand her over to the MPO. They know how to deal with those like her.”
“I am from MPO.” Dimitri planted himself between me and the old alpha when my feet touched the ground. “I will take her to headquarters myself.”
“She took control of you son. I know you feel the need to prove you are strong, I was your age once. But this one is not to be trusted. We need to sedate her so she can’t use her powers.”
“Because if I wanted, you would be quacking now and laying eggs, old man.” I muttered under my breath but damn shifter hearing he heard every word of it.
My blood was buzzing under my skin. Some euphoria overtook my whole body the moment I took the blame for the magic and it thrummed through my veins like a melody. As if accepting out loud who and what I was made the universe celebrate my rebirth. It felt right claiming my birthright although I wished it was under different circumstances.
“You insolent whore.” Angela’s father spat at me, hatred burning hot in his gaze and twisting his features. Gone was the pleasant male who spoke to me at his party. “Don’t you dare use your magic again, or I will make sure your death is drawn out.”
“You won’t be able to do anything if you are dead.” I pointed out conversationally only to hear Char groan in exasperation. “What? I’m just saying. It’s true.”
“Tie her mouth with this so she can’t speak.” The old male shoved a necktie at Dimitri that one of his betas no doubt brought to him. The constant glazing of his eyes told me he was communicating with his pack while we discussed my death and the colorful names he was coming up with for me.
“I don’t agree with that decision, Father.” Angela rose from the ground and helped Char stand up, as well. “Something doesn’t feel right about this.”
“No one is asking you what you agree with. Last time I checked I was still the alpha of this pack.” His voice was packed with alpha power and I watched the beautiful she wolf fight the compulsion to cower before him.
“Something feels off.” Char leaned on me, allowing me to hold most of her weight up. “Help me get my tote, Allie. Shit is about to go down, I can feel it.”
She was still talking when I slid toward the discarded purse and had to lift the handle with my foot like a monkey so I don’t drop my bestie on the ground but I managed. Lucky for us Dimitri’s shoulders were wide enough to hide us until we had Char’s tote in our possession.
“That’s the witch. The redhead.” The old alpha said to someone I couldn’t see from behind Dimitri.
“Who are they?” Angela straightened up and squarely faced her father. “What is going on?”
“Let them take the witch Angela and no one needs to get hurt. Step aside.” Her father snarled, his tone full of impatience.
My head was spinning. What in the world was going on.
“I’m not moving an inch until you tell me what is going on. And she is not going anywhere.” The blonde even flicked her high ponytail over her shoulder and cocked her hip. My respect for Angela grew tenfold no matter the reason she was defending me.
